Your opinions on my FE167E project

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njin

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Joined 2005
#1
Hi,

first, let me intoduce myself. I´m not that new in this forum. Registered quite a long time ago, haven´t made any posts yet... 😉 I´m a 22 year old guy from Karlsruhe, Germany and still doing my apprenticeship as a joiner, so working with wood e.g. building cabinets shouldn´t be a problem at all.

Reading many articles about fullrange speakers made me wanna have such a system as my first experience in building speakers.
My first choice is the Fostex FE 167 E, because I think it is a good compromise between dynamics and the ability to do upper frequencies quite well.
My plan is to put them in 24 litres BR and cross them with a sealed 12inch sub at about 80-90Hz. I´m going to use the Detonation DT80 active subwoofer module, with which has a highpass of first order to keep the low frequencies away from the satellites, what - at least I hope so - helps to increase the maximum SPL.

My favourite music is rock, but I also prefer electronic music such as trip hop and a bit black. But I also like jazz, blues or just acoustic music. As you see, my taste of music is widely spread, what makes choosing a good speaker system not that easy... 🙂

What are your experiences with the FE 167E ? You think I might get happy with my planned system or are there some alternatives?

It would make me happy if you could help me a bit.

thanks,
njin

PS: Please excuse my english. If you find mistakes, just go on reading and don't take notice... 🙂
 
#3
Hi Njin,
I would second the advise to build the MTL design. I have built one of these design for Lowther drivers and found it to be very good. The MTL designs are based on sound science and will give you the best possible results for your first speakers. When you have these built and listened to your music for a month or so you will either be happy to keep them as they are or will have an idea of the weaknesses you would like to improve. I would stay away from subs untill you have some experience of how good single drivers are. You will not get huge bass but timing imaging and coherence will amaze you and will make you wonder why use multi driver systems with all the problems of integrating the drivers and crossovers.
Iain
 
#6
The FE167E is a drop-in replacement for the FE164 in Martin King's Project 2. AFAIK response should be very similar to that of Bob Brines' project.

As you read through the project's whitepaper, you will find a couple different arrangements that might appeal more visually. Check it out.
 
#7
If I were you, I'd go with the 166E and build Ron's Austin BL horn. Supposed to be fantastic, no crossover or passive components. And if you have wood working experience, you shouldn't hesitate to try a horn.

Search over at the fullrangedriver.com forum. My guess would be that these would fair a bit better with rock and harder music, as they will limit the x-max a bit and are said to produce plentiful bass, though a sub will most likely be needed for the lower notes.

Enjoy!

Link to the forum:
http://fullrangedriver.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=2
 
#9
weidok said:
just search for "ML TL Fostex FE 167 E " and read ..

I am playing with mine ML TL''s for more then a year now..
and no sub is needed..

Just try a class D amp or tube ....
then they sound wonderfull...
Click to expand...

Hi

What music are you playing! I respect Bob Brines ML TL design, but I'm asking myself if it really is a good rock speaker, especially for listening loud evry now and then?!?

best, LC
 
#10
Hey guys,

first of all, thanks for all your replies. As I see. Bob Brines' Ft1600 is one of the forum's favourites... 😉 I already read much about it, but I was not sure if I can trust this single driver to reproduce bass. I think you can undestand that feelings...

But do you think I might get happy with my kinds of music I usually listen to? Normally I use to listen to music quite loud... Is the Ft1600 able to reproduce especially rock music loud AND clean?
 
#11
Quick and honest answer -no. They can do it fairly well, but that's not what they're best at. My personal sub-£1000 reference is Martin's Project 2. I've built 3 pairs, which says it all. But they're not the ideal solution for Led Zep, King Crimson, Yes, PJ Harvey etc. If you want full-rangers for rock, generally, an 8" or larger unit will be the best way forward as they shift more air, which is what gives rock it's physicality.


Best
Scott
 
#14
Greets!

R&R loud AND clean? The only fullrangers I'm aware of that can do it are those that come in headphones. 😉

That said, R&R is pretty tolerant of some distortion, so there's a few vintage 12" that can do it pretty good in 6-7 ft^3 cabs if a super tweeter is added and a few 8"ers that can come reasonably close if loaded with a big enough horn or corner loaded TL.

GM
 
#15
Greets, part deux!

Oops, some new responses. Yes, a two way is much better, though you still want as much efficiency as you can afford, which requires at least a 2nd order XO around 500 Hz, so a prosound wide BW woofer in a max flat impedance vented alignment is typically the Hot Ticket, with sealed only for when either corner loaded or EQ'd multiple drivers.

For more 'slam' factor, consider a Karlson or half horn cab, though these may leave you wanting a separate sub system depending on your R&R preferences.

GM
 
#17
Greets!

Works for me in a smaller room, though some R&R has enough signal as low as 30 Hz to need a corner loaded Jensen Imperial size backhorn.

Still, it wasn't until I switched to Altec A7-500s that I felt like I was 'close enough' with PP tubes/vinyl and a high SQ SS powered corner horn loaded 16 Hz Fb system for CDs.

As always though, YMMV.

GM
 
#20
Hi

back to the Fullrange R&R driver for a moment as I was thinking of doing something alike with the Electro Voice SP8 B or C, they are quite hard to find here in europe but I'm not in a hurry...

GM, which new 8" would you recommand for corner loaded R&R TL?

best, LC
 
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